Setting and achieving goals is one of the ways an employee can gauge his development within a company. Goal-setting can be a good motivator, but there are advantages and disadvantages. Without proper planning, setting goals can be as destructive as it can be motivating.

Performance

Setting a goal is designed to motivate an employee and help increase performance, according to the human resources department website at Brown University in the section titled "Performance - Goal Setting" located in the "Job, Pay &amp; Performance" section. When the employee is involved in the goal setting process, he takes a personal interest in achieving that goal. The emotional involvement becomes a strong motivator and can help the employee reach his goals and realize greater success within the organization.

Focus

In his book "Goals and Goal Setting", author Larrie Rouillard points out that setting goals helps an employee to better focus on the elements that create success. To achieve a goal, you first must state your desire to reach the accomplishment. Once the goal is stated, a process can be created that the employee will follow to reach it. With a list of goals and the procedures necessary to reach them, an employee can better focus his efforts on achieving the things that will bring success to his career and his company.

Demotivation

In 1968 Dr. Edwin Locke released a study titled "Toward a Theory of Task Motivation and Incentives". In his theory Locke explains that setting goals that are too vague can lead to poor performance compared to specific and challenging goals. Goals that are not properly crafted can become demotivating. If the goal seems too easy or not specific enough, then the employee is not motivated to achieve it.

Performance Evaluation

According to the human resources department website at Brown University in the section titled "Performance - Goal Setting" located in the "Job, Pay &amp; Performance" section, goals not only help the employee chart her progress, it also helps management measure development. A clearly defined set of goals can be used during an employee evaluation to determine how well the employee performed against those goals, and what changes need to be made to improve reaching goals in the future.

About the Author

George N. Root III began writing professionally in 1985. His publishing credits include a weekly column in the "Lockport Union Sun and Journal" along with the "Spectrum," the "Niagara Falls Gazette," "Tonawanda News," "Watertown Daily News" and the "Buffalo News." Root has a Bachelor of Arts in English from the State University of New York, Buffalo.